How do I outline a biographical essay?

AP essay outline that will score a 9?

• If anyone out there has aced an AP essay or if there are any good writers in general, if you could give me a general outline that can be applied to any essay to recieve a high score on the AP English Literature and Composition test. Basically I would like a skeleton key format to use as a default, which I will then modify and optimize for the specific passage the essay is to be on.

• Answer:

  It somewhat depends on which question you're responding to, as the first two have excerpts or texts which you respond to and the third one is the open question. With all three you must, first and foremost, address the prompt; be sure to capture all nuances and get all of what they ask you in your answer. If the prompt says, "tone" or if the prompt says "complex relationship" be sure to write to that in your essay. A 9 on any essay will not follow a 'skeleton' key format. A 9 will have an original voice and be willing to take chances, meaning you're not writing the open question on Hamlet. A 9 will address the prompt completely and then will get outside of it: the essay will connect to universal ideas, the big picture, the SO WHAT of the passage or prompt, the timeless, universal message of the writing. A 9, no matter what others say, will have few errors, will point out literary devices and write about them in intriguing ways. Man, I'm assuming your AP teacher has already taught or told you most of this so I'm not exactly sure why you're here. Bottom line there is no easy way out. You have to write it. You had to practice analysis, study passages and lit. terms and do well in your AP lit. class.(or at least pay attention) With the test being tomorrow, I'd suggest going to the Collegeboard website or elsewhere on the internet and reading sample essays that scored an 8 or a 9. Read those essays and look at what they did right. That would be your best bet for a 'cram' session tonight.